LARAMIE — With the multiple challenges facing the United States, the responsibilities of citizens are more important than ever – including the need to understand constitutional government and its effect on the lives of Wyoming residents. 

In a new program, Wyoming Humanities will explore this topic with a constitutional scholar, a high school student, a university student, an environmental administrator, and an attorney.  

“The Constitution: Why It Should Matter to You” takes place at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 29. Registration is required for this free live webinar and can be done at thinkwy.org/events or directly on the event registration page.

“Too often we think of the Constitution as having been written for the government, not the people. We may see it as a distant, academic document removed from our everyday lives,” said Shawn Reese, executive director of Wyoming Humanities. “Our goal is to reveal to the public, especially younger citizens, how and why the Constitution should matter to all of us.”

Moderated by renowned Constitutional scholar Dr. David Adler, the panelists will discuss what the Constitution means to them personally. Panelists represent the diverse cross-section of Wyoming’s age, geography, and occupations. They are:

• Diomena Mercer, Sheridan
• Mike Morris, Cheyenne
• Claire Schnatterbeck, New York City (formerly of Wyoming)
• Darin Scheer, Farson

This group will explore what parts of the Constitution are most relevant to their lives right now, what they believe the country’s founders intended, how they have been interpreted over time, and how they directly impact the lives of Wyoming citizens.

Part of Wyoming Connections: Why It Matters, this program is sponsored by the “Why it Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation” initiative, a Federation of State Humanities Councils program funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

For more information about this or other Wyoming Humanities programs and projects, visit thinkwy.org.